Where'd the water go

[Ken G]

Where ever it went, let's hope it doesn't come back for a little while.

The river is at 806 cfs.

Doesn't get much better than that. Not sure I'm getting out any time soon. Too damn busy with little shit.

I'd be in the Les Arends area, from the old Funway dam all the way down to Mill Creek.

Or maybe the old dam around Millbrook and the mile long stretch down from there.

Or maybe the mile long stretch outside Hoover Forest Preserve.

Or Indian Trail Road.

Or North Avenue on the south end of Aurora.

Or Violet Patch park down to Oswego.

Or Oswego to Orchard Road.

Or Saw-wee-kee Park down for about a mile.

Or, or, or . . .

[Ed79]

Water is perfect level for wading. No question about it. However, the river is EXTREMELY murky/muddy. My brother, dad, and I were out today, and the visibility was no more than 3-6 inches... The water clarity made it very, very difficult to locate any kind of fish today. I was using a white crystaglow Mann's Baby 1-Minus, and couldn't see the thing any more than 6 inches below the surface, with a nice bright sun in the sky. Twisties were completely useless with the clarity the way it was, seeing as you'd have to hit the fish in the head for them to know it was even there. Only fish I caught, was a smallie I snagged in the fin, as he missed the 1-Minus I was just CRAWLING along. Had one more fish hit that I missed, which felt like a really nice one, but that was it. Nothing at all other than that.

Not sure what happened to the Fox this year, but I don't ever remember it being this murky last year, with the water levels where they're at right now. Just looking at the clarity would tell you that we just got dumped on by rain for a week straight, and the river was flowing at 3000 CFS. Really jacked up.

[Ken G]

Last year we had so much rain that the river stayed pretty clear. I noticed that same thing. 18 inch clarity was the norm.

In the past, 6 inch clarity was pretty much the norm during the summer months.

How do you think I learned to fish so slow.

[Ken G]

The river is now at 745 cfs and the radar shows the rain is spotty at best.
Which means it should have no effect on the river, or hardly any.
Which means the river is in excellent shape.

Now you just have to find the fish.

[AndrewR]

On Monday afternoon I made my first trip to the river since last fall.

Did alright. Mixed it up between jig/plastic on spinning rod and spinnerbait on baitcaster. Everything from river came on spinnerbait/caster. I think the blades had an effect for the dirty water.

Also hit up a little creek I used to fish at back in the day and did alright given the limited time we spent out there.

http://www.fishing-headquarters.com/fishcast/?p=954

After August 1st I will more than likely be out there somewhere at least once a week until fall rolls around.

On another note, I'd have to say that this low water over the past week really killed the fishing on the DesPlaines and its creeks. I could use some rain here for myself but what do I care, I'll be fishing in WI starting on Thursday for the next 10 days!